This invention relates to apparatus for preventing entrance of birds into a gutter which functions as a conduit for rainwater, and more particularly concerns apparatus of said nature associated with a corrugated roof structure overlying a gutter.
The use of corrugated panels in the fabrication of roof structures is well known in the housing industry. Such structures are generally designed to extend in a downwardly sloped mode from an existing building, thereby forming the roof of a protected area or room such as a patio, porch, carport or the like appended to said building. Corrugated panels may also be employed in fabricating the sole roof of independent buildings.
The nature of the corrugated configuration of the panels is such that the panels are comprised of an integral series of contiguous uniform trough-like depressions interconnected by ridges which, when viewed from the reverse side, are also trough-like depressions. In sectional view taken transverse to the long axis of the trough-like depressions, the corrugated panel has a wave-like pattern of sinusoidal uniformity, the pattern having either a curvilinear contour or angular configuration, or combinations thereof. The panels are generally formed by roll-forming or embossing operations carried out on flat sheet stock material such as thin gauge aluminum, galvanized iron, or plastics, and generally have a rectangular outer perimeter.
The corrugations cause the panel to have rigidity with respect to forces imposed in a plane transverse to the direction of the corrugations, namely the direction of the long axis of said trough-like depressions. When utilized as a roofing material, the panels are arranged such that the direction of the corrugations follows the downwardly sloped disposition of the panel. The upper or proximal edge of said panel is generally anchored to the host building and the lower or distal edge is generally supported by an adjacently placed cross beam, pillar, wall or equivalent structural support.
Because the proximal edge of the corrugated panel has a sinusoidal contour, when it is placed in downwardly angled abutment with a flat surface of a host building, a small gap will exist between the building and the upraised portions of the panel. Said gap would permit entrance of rainwater, expecially if the rainwater is wind-driven into the side of the building supporting said panels. In order to avoid the undesired entrance of rainwater into the gap between the panel and the building, a gutter structure is generally positioned below said proximal edge. The forward edge of said gutter may also serve as a support ledge for the panel.
Although the aforesaid manner of joining the proximal edge of a corrugated panel to a host building solves certain problems, it has been found to engender the new problem of providing a particularly inviting nesting location for birds. Small birds will enter the gutter from the underside of the panel within the archways between the bights of adjacent trough-like depressions of the panel. Not only will the nest obstruct the gutter, but the continued presence of birds closely adjacent the building is generally considered to be a nuisance.
Although means might be conceived for occluding the archways on the underside of the corrugated panel adjacent the gutter, accessability of said gutter is needed in order to facilitate periodic removal of accumulations of solid debris of wind-borne and water-borne origin. Complete enclosure of said gutter, though effective in excluding birds and debris, would thwart evaporation of water, thereby producing corrosion-producing conditions within said gutter.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide means for preventing the entrance of birds into a gutter underlying a corrugated panel roof.
It is a further object to provide a device of simple and durable construction for preventing the entrance of birds into a gutter underlying a corrugated panel roof.
It is another object of this invention to provide a device of the aforesaid nature amenable to facile installation on and removal from said gutter.
It is a still further object to this invention to provide a corrugated roof structure supported at its upper edge by a gutter and provided with means for preventing entrance of birds into said gutter.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.